Back at work, May-June 2020

With virus restrictions easing off in May we were able to get back to work.  However, we had to observe protective practices, including wearing masks and gloves, and maintaining social distances as much as possible.  Our group is not prone to bar-hopping and protesting so we feel fairly safe.  We went to a 2-day, every other week schedule so have been able to accomplish quite a lot.  Plans now are to move 470 to Antonito in the middle of September.

Work on the seats continued with Dean and Ron making adjustments and reinforcements where necessary.  The goal was to have the seats and seat backs slide smoothly in their grooves from the upright to flat positions.

Some of the seats were binding a bit and  needed sanding etc.

The brass sliders on the seat backs needed reinforcing so Ron added more solder around the pegs as well as reinforcing them internally.

He then ground them down until smooth.

In this photo Dean is working on one of the brass fittings on a seat back.  In the lower right area of the picture can be seen a wooden rail extending from the seat behind Dean to the seat in front of him (not included in the photo).  There will be one of these on the other side (aisle side) as well which will support the seats when in the position for reclining.

These rails are supported by metal hangers attached to the seat framing.  This photo shows one of the hangers clamped in position ready for drilling and inserting screws.  The tab pointing downward can be snapped up to hold the rail in place.

This was an awkward position in which to work but it helps to see what one is doing.  Craig's right angle drill helped as well.

This photo shows a hanger in place with a rail resting on it.  The rails had to be level with the seat frame so the seats can slide over onto the rail easily.

Here the tab has been raised against the rail to hold it in position.

The next project was to install seat locks so that they would not slide forward inadvertently when someone was sitting in them.  Wayne and I worked on these.

Again the working positions were a bit awkward for this.  Wayne is drilling into the seat cross frame.

We used a brass bolt assembly fastened to the cross frame with a hole drilled into the bottom of the seat for the bolt to hold the seat.

Here the bolt has been raised and locked to stabilize the seat.

Work continued on the clerestory windows.  Here the frames are installed and Bill L. is helping to install the glass.  This was a two person job with one inside the car passing the glass up to the person on the outside doing the glazing and caulking.

Don did much of the outside work on the glass installation.

This is a view of one of the panes from the inside.  (Click on it to enlarge.)  We had one pane available from which the design was copied and etched into the others.  I do not know who created the design but the Arts and Crafts movement was beginning when the car was built, which emphasized aesthetics as well as function.  The rest of the interior is quite spartan, but the woodwork is beautiful nonetheless.

This is a photo of a window installed before the caulking was done around the frame.

Tom was in the process of caulking this one.

This is an "after" picture.  It was decided to mount the windows with the original hardware but they would be fixed in place rather than be able to open.

Installation of the upper berths was begun.  The platforms are heavy and bulky so weak backs weren't much help.  The aisle side rests on the brass castings and the hinges are adjusted to level the berth.

Care had to be taken to allow for clearance on either end so the platforms could be raised and lowered easily.

Craig put together a mockup of the latch to hold the platforms in the raised position.  The rounded part will be attached to the clerestory above the berth and the hinged part attached to the platform.

Craig is checking the position and function of the hardware.

Photographs show louvered screens in the upper sections of the lower windows to provide protection from the sun.  Note also the vents in the roof over the men's lavatory area.  The one on the left is over the toilet.  The middle one pulls air out of the car when it is moving.  The one on the right is for access to fill the hand washing tanks.  More on these later.

Craig found louvered screens on line but had to do some cutting and gluing to make them fit.  He did most of this in his shop, but took them to Antonito to finish.

The final step was to spray with sealer.

This photo shows one of the screens in place.  The lower sash can be raised behind the screen.

Hooks were present above the berths for hanging coats, etc.  Dean is installing one in this photo.

A closeup of one of the hooks.

The original caps for the vents were usable but new ducting was necessary.

These vents draw air out of the lavatory areas using Bernoulli's principle (remember high school physics?) as the train is moving.

Craig is doing more cutting and fitting so the vents are vertical.  The curve in the roof adds complexity.

Tabs were cut in the bottom of the vents, bent out and fastened to the ceiling with screws.  Bill L. is doing the work here.

Dean is introducing one of the vents into the hole in the roof.  The person below checks for plumb and makes adjustments as needed.

Some of the vents in place.  These are over the women's lavatory area.

Bill L. did yeoman's work sanding the end platforms.  They had gotten very dirty over the months (years?) of people walking on them, etc. 

They cleaned up well but it was a tough job.

Joe S. has made four grab bars for the car, one at each set of steps.  Some adjustments are being made so they have not yet been installed.





Thanks to John, Tom and Don for contributing photos.